It's Not My Choice
by Kiongozi
Summary: After being captured by the School, Max Ride and the rest of her flock are forced to undergo an expeirement where their minds will be forced into a dream state that the whitecoats control. Their plan? To pit the flock togethar in a a Hunger Games scenario
1. Prologue: VRS

**Hey everbody! I know I have this BAD tendancy to stop right at the climax of all of my stories, but I PROMISE you I won't do it with this one. Anways, this Fan-Fic is about Max and her flock (duh), and their fun little virtual reality trip into The Hunger Games (which, if you've read these two books, you know isn't a happy mix). R&R please!!!**

**Prologue: VRS**

"Relax," said Dr. Cassilo, glaring at Jeb Batchelder, "it's just a simulation. They'll be fine."

"I know," Jeb said in a steely tone. He was very good at hiding his emotions.

The six bird kids lay strapped by Velcro to metal tables. They each had on what Dr. Cassilo liked to call a "virtual reality substitute". This was simply an advanced machine hooked up to a helmet that forced the children to dream whatever scene or situation the whitecoats wished them to.

The mutants had been captured, and brought to the School just in time to be the first ever testers of the VRS; it had been too easy, really. And although their experience that was going to begin in moments would be completely in their head, the feel of it would by scarily real.

This first selection of scenes would be from one of Dr. Cassilo's favorite, non-scientific books, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. They had created multiple scenarios in which the bird kids would be forced to participate in the book, being substituted for the characters. All of the details and history behind the fictional nation of Panem had been registered into the machine, and now it was up to Max and her flock to create the rest of the story.

Jeb stepped forward and flicked on the tiny switch, which caused the VRS to hum. He glanced sadly at his bird children; their faces so peaceful in sleep. Oh, how he wished he could wake them up, and save them from the horror they were about to encounter.

But it was too late for that.


	2. Chapter 1: Familiar

**Okay, so this takes place after the fifth book in the MR series, and the beginning of the first book in the HG series. The characters will not include Peeta or Katniss (or their familes and Gale). It will include other various HG characters (i.e. President Snow, Cinna, etc.). The MaxRide people are pretty much limited to the flock, a few whitecoats, and Jeb. More confusing questions answered later. This chapter is a little confusing, so try to keep up, k? R&R Please!**

**Chapter One: Familiar **

I wake up, and I'm lying on a lumpy mattress. My stomach is empty, and my head is throbbing. I am flooded with an onslaught of memories, and information. I put my face into my hands, and curse silently. The whitecoats must have done this! It was strange though; I don't remember being captured. I feel strange, and all of the sudden I am very aware.

The whitecoats want me to know all of this; all of the information they just shoved into my head. It's like a tattoo on my brain; one moment it was normal, and the next I know everything there is to know about the nation of Panem.

I hadn't even heard of Panem until just a few moments ago, and now I can recall all of its history. It's freaking me out, and I'm starting to become really confused. I know that I am Maximum Ride, and I know I'm in the District 12 Orphanage. But I shouldn't. I have never been here before, yet it feels like home.

My flock! Oh god, where are they? I can remember all of them, but a sudden jolt and one name penetrates my thoughts: Fang.

He lives at the Orphanage too, in room 109. I don't understand why they are tinkering with my memories, but what I need to do right now is find Fang.

I burst through the door, and turn right, breaking into a full-out sprint. I pass the doors of other children, and I count them silently.

95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109! I burst into the room (without knocking), and run head-long into Fang. He looks bewildered, but he recognizes me.

"Max!" he yells, "I've never been here before, but, but I feel like I have! What's going on?"

"Whitecoats, most likely. They're messing with us, Fang. We need to find the other's and get out of here," I tell him frantically.

"I knew you were here, but, I don't know where the others are. I mean, I still remember them, but I can't remember them here," he said, confusing me even further.

"I know, I feel the same way," I said.

Just then a knock came on the door, and in walked a burly, dark-skinned man. He eyed us up and down, a sinister scowl spreading across his face. He wore a black t-shirt that stretched tight across his chest, and jeans. He was just a little taller than Fang, with bulging muscles.

A name came to my mind; Dr. Selik. He was no doctor though, just the security of the Orphanage. His face was so familiar, but I knew I had never met this man before.

"No one is permitted out of their room before seven," he said in a gruff voice, pointedly staring at me.

"Go!" I shouted to Fang, and we barrelled past the man, who stumbled back as we whipped by him. Fang turned, and gave him a hard upper cut to the jaw. Not as hard as he could have; I guess his intent wasn't to kill.

The man fell to the floor, and then jumped back up, rubbing his sore chin. He pulled out a little walky-talky, and started screaming into it.

Suddenly, Fang stopped dead in his tracks. I stopped too, and just stared at him.

"Oh my god," he whispered. In a sudden whirl, he reached his hand back, and I froze.

"Max…?" he turned to stare at me, horror written all over his face.

I felt my back to, and stifled a shriek.

My wings. My wings were gone.


	3. Chapter 2: Just Children

**Okay, this is the longest chapter yet, but I don't know if it's the best. It's quality, not quantity, but I dunno if this is very good writing…**

**ANYWHOO, the next chapter is going to be about another flock member, so check in soon! R&R please! THANKS!**

**Chapter Two: Just Children**

I just gape at Fang, who gapes right back at me. Suddenly he cringed, and I felt a burst of pain in my head. Then words, information, dates; all come crashing down on me. We never had wings, not here. We are kids. We are just children.

Suddenly someone's steely grip is choking me, holding me by the neck. I turned my head, and found myself staring into the face of Dr. Selik. I didn't even hear him coming! Oh my god, have I lost my raptor hearing?

I struggle to break free, but my arms are weak; they are not the genetically designed arms of a bird-kid. They are human arms, with very little muscle.

Not Fang, though. He is still strong, and I find that out when he kicks Selik's legs out from under him, and then pulls me up. But he is not super-powered like before; he's also just human-strong.

We run, passing a group of surprised security guards. They are about to round the corner, but we barrel straight through them. We keep running, and soon the exit doors are visible.

Thrusting the heavy metal open, we step outside into the bright sunshine. The smell of coal and bread reaches my nose, and I take in our surroundings.

Just a few miles ahead is what looks to be a coal mine; and to the right and left are separate dirt roads. One leads into town, the other just keeps going. The doors behind us crash open, and two people come out; a petite blond-haired beauty, no older than fifteen, and an older woman, who looks to be about forty. She has a hard set face, and she thrusts a gnarled hand out towards us.

"How dare you! Leaving your rooms before roll call! Punching a guard! You two are disgraceful! The most severe punishment shall be inflicted!" she shouts, her eyes void of emotion.

The girl casts her eyes down at the ground, and then up to Fang. She looks at the mad woman, and says quietly, "Mother, could we let them off with a warning? Please? I'm sure they meant no harm."

"Thyme, shut your mouth! Do not talk back to me!" the woman yelled at her daughter.

"Thyme?" Fang says, bewildered. His forehead wrinkles in concentration, and then he smiles. But he soon sweeps the smile off of his face, and his expression is stone again.

"You know her?" I ask him.

"She's, I mean, I didn't before. But they must have, have made me think-" he cuts himself off, staring at the girl.

Then, two more people come out. They are men, and they look none too happy to see us. I turn to run, but they leap out, and one grabs me by the wrist. He pulls my arm behind m back, and I let out a whimper. It hurts much more than it should.

Fang and I are led back inside, and behind us follow the girl Thyme, and her mother. We walk down a long hall, and and then turn right, entering a large cafeteria. At the tables sit somber-eyed children, all of them under seventeen or so. They wear black shirts, and black sweatpants. I look down at myself, and realise I'm wearing the same thing. The guards hustle us over to the front of the room, where there is a little stage. It is simple a large board of wood, held a foot off the ground by cinder blocks. The lady stomps onto the stage, and all of the children look at her.

"As you all know, no one is EVER permitted out of their dorms before seven a.m, and talking back to, or physically injuring staff members is strictly prohibited. Acts of defiance like this result in punishment."

The kids nod, and then they see us, and a look of sadness crosses their faces.

"Maximum and Fang have broken several rules in less than an hour, and as punishment, they shall not receive breakfast, lunch, or dinner for the entire day," the woman said. Then she looked at us, and motioned for the guards to haul us onstage.

"They will sit here all day, and no one is allowed to speak with them, nor interact in any way," she said harshly.

Someone pulled up two chairs, and we sat down. I stared at all of the faces in the crowd, and a few names came to mind. None of them were my flock, though.

We just sat there, waiting for the guards to leave. Soon a tinny bell rang, and the children dispersed. So did the guards, except for one. She stood attention by the door, but when everyone left, she smiled at us.

"So, you knew that girl?" I asked Fang.

"No," he said, "I've never met her before. But, but it's like de j'avu; I know her. It's like we've never spoken before, but she's already...um, a friend."

I sensed Fang wasn't telling the whole truth, but I didn't push him.

"Do you think we're actually here? Living in District 12?" he asked suddenly.

"No," I said slowly, "I think it's the whitecoats. Our bodies are probably hooked up somewhere to like, a dream-machine. This can't be real, it just can't. They wouldn't remove our wings, which is the whole point in their creating us. We're mutants; they can't just take away all of the effects being bird had on us."

"Like how we're not strong anymore? Or that are senses have been dulled down to human?" Fang asked, eyeing the female standing at the door. She just smiled, but we were talking too quietly for hear to actually hear what we were saying.

"Yeah, they can't just take that away. If they didn't want us freaks around anymore, they could have just killed us," I mumbled.

"If we are just dreaming, how do we wake up?" Fang asked in a blank voice.

"I don't know. I don't know if we can."

**P.S. If any of you have ANY suggestiosn to make this story better, please tell me! I need critiques, and I will (if you wan't me to) give YOU a special thanks on the next chappie if you give me suggestions. THANKS! NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE UP SOON!**


	4. Chapter 3: Emotions

**Oopsie, I don't think I've been mentioning this: DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE, NOR DO I OWN THE HUNGER GAMES SERIES. Okay, all good, enjoy:**

**Chapter Three: Emotions**

"Do we have the schedule for their emotional phases?" asked the Tech, scanning over data that streamed across her computer screen.

"Which ones?" asked Dr. Batchelder, reading over the young woman's shoulder.

"We've got quite a few more to register…trauma, loss, fear; it's a wide range. They were also talking about giving one of the experiments an illness," she said in a very non-nonchalant tone.

"An illness? In what way?" asked Jeb, hiding the worry in his voice.

"To put it bluntly, they want to diagnose one with somewhat of a mental illness. Claustrophobia, Autophagia, Kleptomania; there's really no telling what they'll select, or who they'll select it for. My guess is either the youngest male or the eldest male; it all depends," the Tech shrugged it off, and continued her scanning.

Dear God, Jeb thought, poor Gazzy, Fang…

"Also," she said, jotting something down on a notebook, "the blind mutant, it's controversial weather or not he should get his eyesight back…in the program, I mean. Virtually."

Right, virtually. Jeb sighed; he hoped Iggy would get granted this "development". Even though it would only be a dream, the whole experience would seem real enough to him.

"So?" asked the woman, looking up at the doctor through her wire-rimmed glasses.

"Oh, the emotions; yes, most of them will be activated once the Flock enters the Arena. The information has to be entered into the VRS two hours prior to the actual scene, am I right?"

The Tech nodded.

"Alright then, I'll get an updated list to you as soon as possible," said Dr. Batchelder, and with that, he quickly left the room.

**A/N: Alright, I know this chapter was short; just bear with it. The next one will be long, but the plot for the chapter after that is up to YOU. I'm having a poll: should Iggy get his eyesight back for the Games, or does he remain blind? Remember, no one has super mutant powers anymore…just memories. It's up to you, so review and send me your ideas!**


	5. Update 11:03:10

**I am working really hard on the next chapter, it should be up by Sunday (the 7th of November, I think). I apologize for not updating in such a long time... I've been very busy with, well, life. Thanks so much for all of the critiques and suggestions, those who helped out will be given a big thank-you in the next chapter =)**

**- Kiongozi (OMGMEHGOODNESS) **

**(http: / www . foopets . com/member/19103522 )**


End file.
